


Tale of the Enchanted Castle

by MrsWayne



Category: Disney Beauty and the Beast
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Original Character(s), Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-06-20
Updated: 2014-07-28
Packaged: 2018-02-05 09:54:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,306
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1814320
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MrsWayne/pseuds/MrsWayne
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Most have experienced the nightmare and the joy of having a sibling. Be it you wanted them there or not in the first place every now and again they were worth having around. Though I’m sure you've never seen anything as bad as Isalda had the night she returned home. </p><p>Beauty and the Beast with new characters</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter One

Chapter One  
Most have experienced the nightmare and the joy of having a sibling. Be it you wanted them there or not in the first place every now and again they were worth having around. Though I’m sure you’ve never seen anything as bad as Isalda had the night she returned home.  
“Brother!?” Her voice yelled out, bouncing off the stone walls. The once beautifully adorned walls of silver and gold now tainted with rusty or broken decorations that seemed to have been turned demonic. The eyes of statues stared straight through you as if they were to animate at any moment and devour you.  
Isalda brushed her hair back, her heart pounding with obvious fear as she crept through the dark hallways.  
“Brother?” she called out again, hoping that her brother would answer if she got close. She feared the worst seeing as how the castle was in shambles, a mere skeleton of what it once was. Though what could have happened, there was no signs of foul play only signs that the castle had been ransacked and left in its present state. There were no bodies, there was no blood. What happened to the servants? What happened to her brother?  
“Stay away!!” a gravely and animalistic voice called out as she came closer to the west wing. Quickly turning she glared up the stairs that led to the west wing, her brothers’ room. A dark figure could be seen skulking at the top of the stairs in the shadows. There was an intruder here, and she was determined to find out what had happened, though this could be dangerous. What was there left for her to lose now that everything she knew seemed to be laying in ruin. She ignored the voices heed and began to climb the stairs up to the west wing.  
“Brother?” Isalda called up the stairs, a flaming anger could be felt burning the inside of her chest as she came closer and closer to the top. “Brother?” she called again, with each time she spoke her voice began to get icier.  
The figure at the top of the stairs seemed to have moved little from the spot she had seen him at from downstairs. It moved back away from her as she got closer and stood at the top of the stairs. “Where is my brother?” she asked in a harsh tone of voice, the figure only moved back and with swift movement bolted towards the open door down the hall and slammed It shut behind him. Startled, Isalda takes a step back and holds her hand to her chest. When it moved she could see the semblance of something much bigger than any man, she could hear the scrape of claws against the floor as it ran over the stone flooring. This was no man; there was something much bigger going on here and there was only one way to find out. Going to her brothers’ door she forced the door open and entered without hesitation.  
Looking around the room her jaw falls agape at the utter destruction of the once decadent room. Ignoring the chaos she tries to keep her focus and investigates the room only to see the dark figure that had greeted her at the top of the stairs hidden in the shadows by the balcony entrance. A single red rose was placed in the middle of the table in front of the door to the balcony; it sparkled and floated beneath a bell shaped case beautifully. Gazing at it for a moment she looks to the dark figure lurking in the shadow beside the balcony door.  
“Stay away Isalda! Leave!” he yells out to her as if he expected her to do as he commanded. Isalda merely stood her ground and approached the figure; though he began to bare his teeth at her she had little regard for his seemingly hostile demeanor. She had suspicion since this thing had a resemblance to her brother, her hand touches the fur on his cheek, he appears to calm and try to back further into the corner in a ball.  
“Brother?” she asks, the beastly figure lowers its head and responds with a quiet nod. 

A gentle rap came at Belle’s door, as she opened it a faint smile crossed her lips “Jean? I wasn’t expecting you so early this morning. Is everything alright?” she asks, concerned that there may be something wrong at his house as there was yesterday.  
Jean shakes his head lightly brushes the strands of hair out of his face, he holds a feminine stature and wears the attire of a young lady. His mother seeing him as a woman rather than a man, he had nothing else to wear other than the colorful dresses his mother gave him. Standing Roughly at Belle’s height he appeared fragile and more womanly than anything.  
“Yeah…” his soft voice sighed; he yawned before he could respond fully to her questioning. “Gaston was up early this morning getting the eggs from the chicken coop, just my luck I sleep on that side of the house” he groaned in a bit of irritation at his brothers’ earlier actions. “I know we said we’d meet at the bookstore but I’ll just walk there with you, I didn’t expect to be woken up so early this morning. I also got a letter this morning, Isalda’s going to be here today.” He smiled finally through his tired expression.  
Belle allowed a wider smile and took her basket from just behind the door and closed the door behind her as she exited. “Then let’s go, we don’t want to miss her.” She laughed a bit as she took Jean’s hand and led him down the stairs and took him with her into town.  
Jean smiled and felt his body finally wake up as he followed Belle into town. 

“Isalda!” A male voice called out from behind a large crowd of people. Isalda could be seen wandering the market, having not been here for nearly a year she was a bit flustered as to if everything was the same as she remembered or if some key details were changed. Or perhaps if some of the people had moved and left the town since she was last here.  
Hearing a familiar male voice call out from the crowd of people shopping so early in the morning, she looked around frantically for the now familiar face. “Antonin?” she called out hoping that he would answer back.  
“Isalda!” the voice called out yet again, though now it was for certain that it was Antonin trying to get her attention. Where ever he was he was doing a rather good job blending in with the rest of the crowd. She was at a loss and unable to spot him in the crowd, she had been traveling the night and with what had happened when she got back home a month ago she was unable to sleep soundly since then. Her eyes were watery and she wanted nothing but to have a good night’s sleep for once, though perhaps worry of her brother back at the castle would still keep her sleeping time.  
Finally she spotted someone in the crowd though as quickly as she saw him he was gone. “Antonin?” she called out and went towards the familiar figure, before she knew it she was lifted off the ground by strong arms. “Ah!” she yelled out, though within a moment’s notice she saw that it was Antonin lifting her up from the ground with ease.  
“Found you!” he yelled out victoriously, Isalda supposed with this crowd it was hard to find anyone smoothly. She allowed a wide smile to curve across her lips and her arms to wrap around his neck and hug him. “About time you big oaf!” she responded and laughed; Antonin gladly hugged her and set her back down on her feet.  
“I thought I’d never find you.” Antonin complained as he looked down at her, he continued with “What happened to you? You’ve been gone for nearly a year.” He states, his tone curious as to what had happened to her for all this time, though no reasonable explanation was coming to mind at this moment.  
Isalda merely turned and tugged at the sleeve of Antonin’s shoulder for him to follow along beside her. She was unsure how to phrase this, and perhaps it would be easier after she had thought about it for a little while. The thought of telling Antonin should have been easy; after all, he had seen her brother walk around the castle as he did. It was no wonder this had happened to him while she was gone for nearly a month across the seas. Though telling Jean and Belle would be interesting, for neither of them has ever seen her brother, nor has the village been quite aware of her brothers’ actions, nor the mystical things that have happened in the castle. Sure tales have been spun since the royal family seems to have completely gone out of commission, the poor castle left forgotten in the forest. Perhaps they have heard some of these tales, and they would be surprised to hear that this was all true. 

Jean glanced around the market, it was already 9 o’clock in the morning and they hadn’t yet spotted Isalda. As the next few moments wore on, and the bustling of the people in the market started becoming more crowded, there was one man who came into view as plain as day. “Gaston…” Jean whispered. His brother had been wandering the town this morning instead of out in the forest hunting. One of those rare mornings it seemed where he wanted to be out and about, or perhaps it’s because he wanted to be out in town so he could catch Belle wandering the market. “Uhm… Belle I think we should leave…” Jean suggested but it was too late, Gaston spotted them as they were heading back through the market. Having already done their business at the book shop there was nothing else to do but to try and find Isalda.  
“Hello Belle” Gaston said in a suave tone of voice, he strutted in front of them blocking their path from where they were trying to go.  
“Dammit….” Jean cursed as he gently ran a hand over his face, hoping that he would see Isalda and it would give them plenty of reason to leave and see her. The easiest way to ditch Gaston it seemed, only to mention that Isalda was there and he would back off. He did like to fight though when it came to Isalda, he seemed to lose interest rather quickly. Jean was very unsure as to why, but when it got his brother to leave him or Belle alone, there was really no reason to ask when it got results. For now they would only have to wait this out, and hope that Gaston would give up easier this morning. 

Antonin was still curious as to why Isalda was being so secretive as to why she had been gone for nearly a year. She even seemed more preoccupied once he had mentioned it, though his attention was caught on another event that was happening in the middle of the market.  
Gaston was standing in Belle’s and Jean’s way, they were near the middle of the market and both of the two people whom he seemed to be harassing were done with him. They both had an expression of irritation and want to go home or at least be elsewhere. Nudging his elbow into Isalda’s shoulder he cleared his throat hoping she would snap out of her trance.  
“Isn’t that your friend and Belle over there?” He asked.  
Isalda glanced up to Antonin before looking over to where he wanted her to look. She recognized Jean and Belle right away, though seeing Gaston from behind it was harder to tell if it was him or not. She hadn’t been back in some time, and things may have changed some.  
“Gaston?” she asked as she began to push through the crowd. “In the flesh” Antonin responded to her questioning tone when she had said his name, Isalda allowed a slight smirk to cross her lips “Oh this is going to be fun” she popped her knuckles before pushing past the last bit of people to get to them. Antonin smirked and followed along behind her, he already knew where this would lead one way or another. There was no reason he would need to stand at her side when she confronted Gaston.  
“Gaston!” she yelled out to him, visibly Gaston jumped just before glaring over his shoulder at the familiar female voice.  
“Isalda!” he gave a happy tone that quickly turned sarcastic “Didn’t think I’d be seeing you again, thought you’d be lost in the woods by now” A barely visible grin tugging at the corners of his mouth.  
“And who told you this?” she asked, seeing as how neither Gaston or Isalda met before this day, they had only heard stories from Jean, or Belle in Isalda’s case.  
“The town” Gaston stated smugly “said you used to visit this town nearly every day so you could see Jean and Belle. Left for what was assumed for good about a year ago and now your back.” He explained briefly as to what the villagers had said since she was gone, to her surprise there was no mentioning to a beast, not even a sarcastic remark of it. Among other towns there were tales being woven of the beast that lived deep in the forest, his castle in shambles and his heart as dark to match it. That was all there was to be told, the tale was still to be told.  
“Imagine that, I did leave for about a year it’s true. But what’s it to you? I only came over here because your harassing my friends.” She stated harshly as she pulled him back and forced him behind her so he was further away from both Jean and Belle.  
Gaston stumbled a bit as he got his bearings from being thrown behind Isalda. He was surprised at her strength and found the bit of Jean’s stories about her that he found untrue were fact. He didn’t believe that she had fought off bar men here; first of all they would clan together, and second the men in that bar were rather burly. There was no way she could have taken them all, she is a woman after all, how strong could she be? Sadly to his dismay she was rather strong, though he wanted to test just how strong she was.  
“Who do you think you are fool woman?” he asked as he stood at his full height and approached her, expecting all her tense anger to melt away and replace with fear. But what she did was far from his expectation, without fully figuring out what she was doing, her fist slammed into his stomach. Hunching over in pain he grunted as the wind flew from his chest.  
“I think I’m a woman trying to get you to leave her friends alone, this could be done either the easy or hard way. It seems you chose the fun way” Gaston watched her mouth curve into a grin. Throwing his head back a bit slowly, he gave off an aura of irritation as he ran a hand over his face. Who was this woman? What was she trying to do? Or who would raise someone to be this way? Though the last question that crossed his mind was already answered quickly, she was raised in a way that could be found rather attractive. ‘What the hell am I thinking?’ Gaston thought, quickly he reassessed his thoughts and rubbed his jaw lightly as the stinging sensation was still lingering. There was only one way to really get rid of the thought that he just had about the woman standing in front of him “I was unaware that I was speaking with a friend, why don’t you be a good friend, and make sure Belle is taken care of. Set her up with me, you won’t regret it.” He grinned, crossing his arms over his chest.  
“I thought I was being a good friend, I didn’t break your jaw.” She stated with an icy glare. Gaston chuckled at her tenacity, though was unable to respond as Belle cut in.  
Though the entire scene was entertaining, it was time to break them apart before they really came to blows. Isalda was obviously asking for it and she was unsure what would happen if they got into a fight and she didn’t want to know. “Isalda, Jean told me you were coming in today. How come you were gone for so long?”  
A light smile crossed Isalda’s lips as she turned to face away from Gaston, having sent a letter about a month ago just to make sure it got here before her arrival. “How has your father been?” she asked.  
Belle chuckled and smiled “He’s been rather good, I told him you were coming by today and he’s excited to see the son he never had.”  
Isalda laughed loudly and smirked, the first few times she met Maurice she did find it odd that he saw her as a man; she didn’t feel like she looked the part, though maybe she was mistaken. It was always nice to see his face light up at her presence, his warm nature and father figure that she never truly had around. The problem with royalty she thought, the family wasn’t as tight knit as a family that was in a middle class stature. It would be nice to see Maurice again, she would see that father figure again, and she would be able to feel that warm hug once again.  
“That’s good; I can’t wait to see the father I never had.” Isalda smirked lightly and glanced back at Gaston speaking with Lefou. 

Gaston felt confused, though his mind was still singing only one song. He wanted Belle, and that was the end of that. Isalda may have sparked something, but his mind was already made up, he didn’t want anybody else except Belle. Gently stroking his hand over his jaw he looked down at Lefou who was busy trying to put the skins that they had gotten this morning in a small bundle. Gritting his teeth a bit he looked over at Isalda and Belle speaking, but just past that he could see smoke begin to emanate from Belle’s home just as it exploded.  
Lefou could be heard clearly laughing as the home went up in smoke, Gaston couldn’t help but follow though he was quickly stopped when Isalda turned towards them and approached them both. Belle was busy running home to see if her father was ok, within the few moments Isalda had picked Lefou up in her hands and drop kicked him across the market. Lefou screamed as he was launched over the crowd of people behind Gaston. Glancing to Isalda she seemed to have a guilty pleasure in kicking Lefou across the market; he couldn’t help but chuckle and allow a slight smile at her actions.  
Antonin could be seen waiting to run after Belle with Jean, Jean didn’t seem like he wanted to just yet, he appeared as if he wanted to punch Gaston. Instead of a punch, Jean laid his hands flat on Gaston’s chest and attempted to push him back.  
“He could be hurt Gaston!” Jean yelled, obviously concerned for Maurice’s safety but to angry at Gaston for laughing at the incident in the first place. Without a second thought a wide grin crossed Gaston’s lips, his hand rose up and came crashing down on the side of Jean’s face with an audible ‘smack’. Stumbling and falling back onto the ground Jean yelped in pain at the sudden slap. Stunned Antonin gazed down at Jean holding the side of his face; he was unsure what to do as he looked at the expression on Isalda’s face change from angry to white hot anger.  
Jean held the side of his face, the stinging sensation lingering as he tried to regain his senses. Turning to glare up at Gaston he could see Isalda ball her fist up and without any sort of warning her fist was slamming into the side of Gaston’s face. Gaston was obviously caught off guard, letting out a grunt as he stumbled to the side and fell to one knee on the dirt floor, a small trickle of blood falling down his chin. Jean rubbed his face and forced himself up from the floor to run to Belle’s; Antonin took a moment and watched Isalda.  
Noticing that Antonin was still standing there stunned like a startled calf she let out a slight growl and yelled to him “Antonin go check on Maurice!”  
Antonin hadn’t noticed that he had been standing there stunned as if he had just been punched in the stomach. The sight of Jean being slapped across the face was all too fast, all too sudden. He felt as if he should have done something but instead it was Isalda who took matters into her own hands. Snapping out of it at the sound of Isalda screaming at him he quickly turned and ran after Jean towards Belle’s home.  
“Hurry up! We need to see if Maurice is ok!” Jean yelled out to Antonin who was following after him to Belle’s house. 

“What the hell was that for!?” Isalda yelled at Gaston still kneeled on the floor; she went and stood over him with an angry expression on her face.  
Still amazed at the amount of force she was able to use to punch his jaw he slowly began to stand up. Isalda appeared very angry as he rubbed the base of his jaw; he was unaware that she was capable of this kind of pain. Watching as she cracked her knuckles and got ready to again punch him he took a cautious step back. Perhaps it wasn’t the best to cross this woman, or do something such as this in front of her, she seemed to be a ticking time bomb ready to take him down with only one blow. Allowing a cocky grin to adorn his features he popped his neck and popped his knuckles just as Isalda had a few moments ago, he had to be ready, seeing as how she was more than likely faster than him.  
“Ladies first” Gaston got ready for her first punch; Isalda smirked and balled her fist up. Knowing she couldn’t go for a face shot this time she would have to settle for body punches, grunting she slammed her fist into his side, swiftly enough so as not to allow his bulky arms to block her. 

“Papa?” Belle called out into the smoky house, opening the cellar she began coughing. Antonin and Jean stood outside the cellar, both of them covering their noses and mouths to keep from breathing in the black smoke.  
“Maurice?” Jean called out into the cellar; he braved the smell and walked down the steps into the cellar as the smoke began to clear out through the now open door. Maurice could be heard coughing and the sound of a barrel could be heard clunking against the hard floor. Belle stepped in further to find her father stuck in a barrel which he quickly broke out of, as he lay on the floor he sighed and got up, dusting himself off.  
Jean sighed in relief as he watched Maurice get up from the floor “Maurice, are you ok?” he asked, just to make sure. Maurice nodded and coughed for a final time before responding fully “How in the world did that happen?” He had a frustrated voice as he crossed his arms and complained that he would be unable to get this contraption to work. Jean shook his head a bit and laughed lightly as Antonin walked down the steps into the cellar.  
“That isn’t true, I’m sure you’ll be able to get it working” he encouraged as he waved his hand in front of his face to fan the smoke away.  
“I know you’ll win first prize at the fair tomorrow” Belle added on as she gently placed her hands on her fathers’ shoulders “And become a world famous inventor” she stated with a gentle voice. Maurice glanced at her and smiled a bit as his spirits lifted.  
Jean and Antonin smiled at the gesture, glad that he wouldn’t give up completely like he may have wanted to. 

Isalda fell against the dusty ground; she grunted in pain and gripped her ribcage as she stood up. The villagers looked upon them in wonder and curiosity as both she and Gaston fought in heated anger. From the look on most of their faces they were either wondering why Gaston was fighting a woman, or how this fight seemed so evenly matched despite Isalda’s size, her gender alone could have something to do with that curiosity.  
Forcing herself up from the floor she growled under her clenched teeth as Gaston breathed heavily from his exertions. He wiped his hand over his brow as he glared down at her getting up from the floor; Isalda didn’t care for this and merely charged at him and tackled him to the floor. Gaston was unaware of the sudden hit to his middle region as his back thudded against the dirt. He laid there too exhausted to even care as he listened to Isalda breathing heavily as well, her fists balling up the chest part of his shirt as she manhandled him to sit up partially. He was amazed by the amount of strength she still had after this, she swallowed and held him there steadily as she angrily stated “Don’t hurt Jean like that again.” Pushing him back his back slammed against the floor which kicked up dust from under him. He grunted in pain and forced himself to sit up just as she stood up from his stomach and began to walk towards Maurice’s home. Gaston scoffed lightly and allowed a slight smirk to cross his lips “Perhaps I can live with those terms.” He spoke once she was out of earshot, she was an admirable fighter. 

Her steps were heavy as she made her way up the hill to Maurice’s house, she was breathing heavily as she swept her fingers through her hair. She caught up just in time as Maurice was hitching their horse Phillipe to a cart with what she assumed was the invention he had been working on for quite some time.  
“Maurice!” she called out to him, she was having a hard time as she took in deep breathes to try and keep her wind. Maurice chuckled and greeted her “Isalda? Is that you child?” he asked as he went up to her and gently placed a hand to her shoulder.  
Isalda smiled and nodded as she swept her frayed hair back yet again, the dust not allowing it to be manageable. “Yes, I came to see if you were alright. I saw the explosion from the market” she stated with worn out words, placing her hands to her hips for the moment she took a deep breath and regained her wind from her earlier fight.  
Maurice only smiled at her sentiment and brought her in for a hug, Isalda smiled and hugged him back before he pulled away and got up onto Phillipe’s back. “I’m glad you came to check on me, I hope we can visit when I get back.” He smiled, Isalda nodded with a returning smile “Of course you’ll see me, I’m sure I can make it down here by the time your back.”  
Maurice smiled and nodded “ok, but I must ask…. What happened?” It had been on his mind but he was unsure if he should ask. Until finally his curiosity couldn’t be held back, she seemed to be a wreck and out of breath, that couldn’t all be just the run up the hill.  
Isalda gave a slightly confused look; she was unsure what he meant until she decided to look down at her clothes. Her clothes were wrinkled with some dirt; they seemed as if she hadn’t worn any other clothes for weeks. Her hair was swept back but was poking out every which way; it looked like she had forgotten what a comb was used for. Or perhaps like she hadn’t showered in some time, though it looked like she had been caught in a storm on the way here.  
“Oh, I just had a run in with Gaston.” She stated vaguely, not realizing this could be taken the wrong way. Maurice smiled and chuckled, his response was all too soon for her “well, I hope it lasts. That Gaston fellow could do with someone like you.” He teased.  
Isalda raised an eyebrow and felt her cheeks flush in embarrassment “No! No! You’ve got the wrong idea!” she pleaded as he let out a laugh. She wasn’t going to take this lightly; the thought of it left a bad taste in her mouth. Maurice didn’t allow her time to explain her self before he took the reins in hand. “Goodbye everyone, a-And take care while I’m gone” he smiled and prodded Phillipe to go; he waved goodbye and left down the road.  
Antonin finally laughed out loud and strode over to Isalda who had flushed cheeks “well, that would be a dream come true for you now wouldn’t it?” he teased. Isalda didn’t even like the thought; she growled lowly and ran her hand over her face in a bit of frustration.  
“You better watch yourself Antonin, otherwise you’ll get the next punch I throw.” She smirked lightly before turning away from him in order to hide the redness in her cheeks. Antonin laughed at her remark, he didn’t think she went for whatever Gaston was, and he seemed like something that induced anger. “Alright, I know he’s not your type” he chuckled and went over to Belle; Jean walked over to her and took the spot where Antonin stood.  
Jean scoffed a bit “I bet you actually would like to.” He stated, serious on his remark. Isalda glared over at him “I might, but I won’t. Never will.” She fluffed the dust out of her hair before sweeping it back again and crossed her arms over her chest. Jean smirked and chuckled “Perhaps, I really hope you’re not attracted to him. The mans a boar.” He stated, his voice toned like a concerned sister. Isalda rolled her eyes a bit before she responded to his worries “I’ll be fine, I’m sure I can handle myself.” She smirked “Trust me.”


	2. Chapter Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gaston has planned the wedding he's always wanted for He and Belle, though things take a turn for the worst, he makes a fool of himself in front of his brother and his friends. Finding that Maurice has been stranded out in the woods somewhere without Phillipe, Belle intends to try and find him.

Chapter Two  
Maurice had already been gone for one night, everything had been relatively quiet. With fear of another fight breaking out Isalda stayed with Antonin instead of Jean. Jean’s family saw that as a safer course of action after seeing the fight that had broken out in the market the day before.   
Jean rubbed his eyes of sleep, as he got dressed and opened up his window to let the morning air waft through his small room. Taking in the morning air he looked out of his room to see decorations that resembled one of a wedding, afraid to think that he was right he shook his head and hurried down the stairs. Leaving out the front door he made his way to where the ceremony was at, looking around at the bland white decorations he shook his head again in disappointment.   
I really hope this isn't what I think it is. Jean thought as he walked past the tables of plates and the single cake that sat on a small round table in plain view. Lefou being the only one there greeted him with unusual kindness, that of which Jean only noticed when they were alone together.  
“Hello there Jean” Lefou stated with a smooth tone as he stepped over to Jean’s side in one swift motion. Jean took a step back with a disgusted look on his face, he hated when Lefou was around. He found him one of the most repulsive creatures on the planet, his facial expression always gave that much away.   
“Ugh… where is my foolish brother?” Jean asked, hoping that Lefou would just tell him so he wouldn’t have to talk to him for that much longer. As luck may have it Lefou was a persistent little dwarf, Jean wouldn’t be able to get away easily if he continued his pursuit.   
Lefou placed a hand to his chin as he thought for a moment “Oh right! He’s in there swooning Belle, their getting married today.” He stated excitedly “You know it could easily be made a wedding for two couples” he grinned at Jean.   
Jean stuck out his tongue, his face twisted into a disgusted expression; he gagged once as if he were to throw up. Lefou’s smile began to fade as he watched Jean nearly throw up from his proposal. He crossed his arms and looked to the side as if embarrassed; to Jean he should have felt embarrassed for even thinking he had a chance. 

 

Isalda yawned and flung open her window to let in the fresh air, and covered her eyes a bit from the morning light. She and Antonin had been up late that night packing up her horse, there were things she needed to take back home and she had to leave that very morning. Yawning again she leaned on her elbows out the window, she spotted the wedding decorations outside Belle’s house. “Whose getting married…?” she wondered and tried to take a closer look from her window, leaning just a bit further outside her window. Once out far enough she could see a few familiar people from the village, when she looked around by the cake she could see Jean speaking with Lefou. “What the?” a surprised expression came over her face as she looked behind her “Antonin!” she called out loudly.   
Antonin jumped and nearly fell from his bed as he looked up, getting up from bed he went up the stairs into the guest room where Isalda was staying. “What happened?” he demanded as he stumbled a bit over to the window where Isalda stood, she moved out of his way and pointed down to where the wedding was. “Do you know if anyone is getting married today?” she asks.   
Antonin shakes his head lightly and yawns “no, there was nobody with a scheduled wedding today.” He states in a tired voice. Isalda raises an eyebrow and glances back out the window; she sighs lightly and throws a blanket at Antonin, forcing him to topple over onto the bed. “Come on, let’s go see what’s going on” she smiles. Antonin groans in frustration and holds the blanket to his face for a bit longer before responding with an unenthusiastic “fine.”   
Isalda smirked and got dressed quickly, Antonin on the other hand moved slowly, as it was earlier than usual for him to wake up. Isalda was dressed; she wet her hands with water and swept her hair back out of her face as she ran down the stairs. “Come on Antonin!” she goaded. Antonin groaned as he followed on behind her, picking up his pace so he could keep up. The two ran through a small part of the market and over to the small clearing where all the wedding things were at. Isalda looked around curious as to who was getting married; she didn’t even see Jean anymore.   
Jean moved past Lefou in one stride to go into the house to see if Belle was alright with his brother in there. Though before he could get into the house the door opened and Gaston flew out and landed straight into the mud puddle. Gaston gasped for air once he came up and spit out some mud that had gotten into his mouth. Belle opened the door once again and tossed his boots out onto the grass before shutting it again and locking the door. Jean smirked and placed a hand over his mouth as he attempted not to laugh. Gaston glared up at Jean and tilted his head back momentarily, a small pig falling off his head and back into the mud.   
Jean was unable to hold it back as he busted out laughing at Gaston’s misfortune. Lefou smirked as he watched from afar; he began to walk over but was quickly pushed aside when Isalda grabbed his hair and pulled him aside from her path. Antonin followed behind her closely as he glanced down at Lefou.   
“Jean?” Isalda called out as they both came over to where they heard Jean laughing. Jean continued to laugh nonstop as he clenched onto his stomach and fell to the floor on his back, His dress flying up a bit but landing safely to cover him.   
Isalda looked to the mud hole to see Gaston lying there nearly face first in the mud. Isalda placed a hand over her mouth, a smile beginning to cross her lips, she cleared her throat and tried to force it back. She extended her hand out to him and smiled lightly as if trying to be friendly. Gaston glared at her, he glanced at her hand for a moment before taking her offer. He gripped her hand and forced himself up from the semi deep mud hole.   
Jean’s laughing ceased slowly once he saw Isalda helping him up out of the mud; Isalda swept her fingers through his hair to keep the mud from going down his face anymore. Antonin raised an eyebrow at her actions and cleared his throat to get her attention.   
“Huh, so how’d it go?” Lefou mocked as he came up behind Isalda’s legs. Gaston’s expression turned to one of hate quickly as he gripped Lefou “Belle will be my wife. No mistake about that” he growled as he threw Lefou down into the mud. Lefou scoffed as Gaston stepped out of the mud and stormed past Isalda and Jean. Isalda grunted a bit as her shoulder was shoved away; she scoffed a bit and kicked a small pebble that hit Lefou’s forehead. He glared up at her which only made her furrow her brow and begin kicking the spare pebbles that were beside the puddle.   
Jean stood up from the ground and wiped his eyes of tears, he had been laughing so hard he had begun to cry. “Oh, you guys missed Gaston falling right into the mud!” Jean laughed even more; he clutched his stomach as he tried to calm himself.   
Isalda glared at Jean waiting for him to finish but without any end in sight she began to walk towards Belle’s house, wondering if she was alright. Once she had gone up the stairs she knocked on the door hoping that Belle would answer “Belle? It’s Isalda” she said through the door. When no answer came Isalda raised an eyebrow and began to round the house.   
Antonin followed behind Isalda, he was just as puzzled as her, there was no reason for Belle not to answer unless she had left the house right after Gaston had tried to make her marry him. She found it foolish that he thought that this pursuit would work, but then again the man had very few smarts to her knowledge.   
“Where’s Belle?” Antonin asked as Jean was busy trying to catch his breath, Isalda shook her head. “I don’t know” she answered, her eyes wandering to where the goats and chickens were kept. Chicken feed had been spread across the ground, a bucket and a wooden tray had been knocked to the ground, one of the chickens eating the leftover feed that had been in the bucket. Raising an eyebrow she went past the small pen holding the chickens and goats and walked towards the open pasture behind the house. Antonin glanced at Jean who seemed better now, his hands now preoccupied with holding his dress up. Rolling his eyes slightly he followed after Isalda, he didn’t understand how Jean could stand wearing those infernal dresses but to say the truth it didn’t look bad on him.   
“Belle?” Isalda called out for Belle, hoping that she would answer. Mainly because if Belle wasn’t outside of the house then she was inside just ignoring their knocking, she wondered if that was the case and she would have to end up breaking into the house.   
“Where is she?” Jean questioned, he glanced around the small meadow wondering if Belle was out here.   
Isalda stayed quiet for the time being before she spotted Belle out in the meadow, Phillipe had come back and was still hooked up to the cart that Maurice had taken with him. Worried about what had happened to Maurice she took off towards Belle before she got on Phillipe. “Belle, where are you going?” she called, Belle looked to her, a worried expression on her face.   
“Phillipe came back without papa, I have to find him” she stated urgently, gripping Phillipe’s saddle she got onto his back. Isalda looked down and then to Antonin and Jean “Let us go with you” she proposed. Belle stayed quiet for a long time, she looked down at Phillipe already ready to leave. She nodded “Ok, just please get your horses quickly and let’s get going” she stated, obviously in a hurry to try and find her father. Isalda nodded and hurried back to Antonin and Jean “Get your horses were going with Belle to try and find her father.”   
Jean raised an eyebrow, confused by the sudden reason to get their horses “What happened?” he asked. Isalda shook her head “I’ll explain on the way there, hurry” she stated, running back to Antonin’s home to find her horse.   
Both Jean and Antonin headed home to get their horses, Jean cursed now and again when he would trip over the dress he was wearing. Managing to make it home he busted through the door and went to the back of the house where their horse was kept. “I’ll be back soon!” he yelled out, going through the door to the horse that was tied up outside. Gaston was clean now, a brush in his hand cleaning their Clydesdale. Jean sighed, hoping that Gaston wouldn’t give him any trouble and merely allow him to take the horse so that he could go to help Belle find Maurice.   
“What are you doing back?” Gaston snapped, Jean swallowed and took the reins off the post that their horse was tied to.   
“I have to help Belle” he stated before pulling the horse out the gate and getting on, Gaston held a bitter expression but let it go once he saw Antonin and Isalda riding towards them on their horses. Gaston nodded “Fine” he stated bluntly before slapping the horses behind, the horse whinnied and took off.   
Jean glanced back at Gaston before shaking his head and rode beside Isalda and Antonin so they could rendezvous with Belle. Isalda raised an eyebrow, every now and again glancing to Jean “What was that about?” she questioned. Jean shook his head “Your guess is as good as mine Isalda” he laughed before coaxing his horse to move faster.   
Once they had arrived they would have to move quickly to see if Phillipe knew where to take them. Belle looked worried as she coaxed Phillipe to take off into the woods to find her papa, with luck they would find him safe and alive.


End file.
